it is the same in our hearts – we push something out, and something stronger takes it’s place.

We are governed by a leader in our hearts –

it is either the Rebels, or a Gadhafi…….

unless it is the Lord Jesus Christ enthroned.

Who’s on the throne in your heart? If it is not Lord Jesus, it should be – for your life, soul and eternity are at stake:

“But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons,

then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe;

but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him,

he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil.

Whoever is not with me is against me,

and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person,

it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says,

I will return to my house from which I came.’

And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order.

Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself,

and they enter and dwell there.

And the last state of that person is worse than the first.”luke 11:20-26

“Note, [1.]The heart is a palace, a noble dwelling; but the unsanctified heart is the devil’s palace. His will is obeyed, his interests are served, and the militia is in his hands; he usurps the throne in the soul.

[2.] The devil, as a strong man armed, keeps this palace, does all he can to secure it to himself, and to fortify it against Christ. All the prejudices with which he hardens men’s hearts against truth and holiness are the strong-holds which he erects for the keeping of his palace; this palace is his garrison.

[3.] There is a kind of peace in the palace of an unconverted soul, while the devil, as a strong man armed, keeps it. The sinner has a good opinion of himself, is very secure and merry, has no doubt concerning the goodness of his state nor any dread of the judgment to come; he flatters himself in his own eyes, and cries peace to himself. Before Christ appeared, all was quiet, because all went one way; but the preaching of the gospel disturbed the peace of the devil’s palace.

(2.) The wonderful change that is made in conversion, which is Christ’s victory over this usurper. Satan is a strong man armed; but our Lord Jesus is stronger than he, as God, as Mediator. If we speak of strength, he is strong: more are with us than against us.

The conversion of a soul to God is Christ’s victory over the devil and his power in that soul, restoring the soul to its liberty, and recovering his own interest in it and dominion over it.

[2.] The evidences of this victory. First, He takes from him all his armour wherein he trusted. The devil is a confident adversary; he trusts to his armour, as Pharaoh to his rivers (Eze. 29:3): but Christ disarms him. When the power of sin and corruption in the soul is broken, when the mistakes are rectified, the eyes opened, the heart humbled and changed, and made serious and spiritual, then Satan’s armour is taken away. ….

The prince of the devils may give leave, nay, may give order, to his forces to retreat, or make a feint, to draw the poor deluded soul into an ambush;but Christ, as he gives a total, so he gives a final, defeat to the enemy.” from Matthew Henry’s commentary on Luke 11